Mayor David Devenne and Fire Chief Richard Nowe each removed a ceremonial shovel full of earth on September 29, 2020 as the official start of the construction of Mahone Bay’s new fire station.

The $3.4 million, five-bay, fire station will serve the 3500 – 4000 residents in and around Mahone Bay who receive fire protection from the Mahone Bay and District Volunteer Fire Department. The new fire station will improve safety conditions for the volunteer fire fighters, provide a comfort centre for Mahone Bay and area residents during emergencies, and provide a more economical and environmental conscious building for fire services.
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“The job that a firefighter does today is far more complex than it was 62 years ago when the current fire station was built,” said Mayor Devenne. “Firefighters need the right facility to do the job. I believe that Council has made the right decision and that the time is right for this project.”
 
The target opening for the new station is November 2021, which will coincide with the Mahone Bay and District Volunteer Fire Department centennial celebrations. 

For more information on the Fire Station Build, see the special Fire Station newsletter. 

Municipal Elections are different than federal and provincial elections because they are run by employees of the municipality - even election staff are technically employed by the municipality. This is why municipalities do not provide biographies nor a platform for candidates. 

You will have noticed that Candidate Forums are provided by third-party, arm's length, organizations, such as Chambers of Commerce. 

This year the Mahone Bay and Area Chamber of Commerce found a way to still provide a platform for Candidates and published Candidate biographies in their recent newsletter. 

If there is a candidate that you have not yet heard from, you are welcome to contact the Election Team at 902-523-1356 or election@townofmahonebay.ca and we can share their contact information. 

You should have received your Voter Information Letter in your mail by now. 

Your Voter Information Letter will contain the instructions for how to vote, by phone, internet, or in person at one of our voting kiosks. This letter will also contain the unique PIN that you will use to cast your vote. 
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If you have not received your Voter Information Letter, please contact Town Hall at 902-624-8327 or election@townofmahonebay.ca and we will make sure that you receive everything you need. 

For those who prefer to go to a polling station, we will have three opportunities to do so. While we will not have paper ballots, we will have a voting kiosk (a tablet) ready for you to vote online. 

The Tablets give us the opportunity to sanitize thoroughly between voters to ensure that we make this as safe of an election as possible, despite the ongoing pandemic. 

Check your mail for the Fire Station newsletter for all the details.
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The sod-turning will take place at 12 noon on Tuesday, September 29th behind the current fire station!

Interest and regular tax sale proceedings will be re-instated as of August 31, 2020. If you have a balance on your account and you have not yet done so, please contact Town staff to make payment arrangements. 

What are the topics that are addressed in the Municipal Planning Strategy?

The Town's Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use By-law (LUB) are the primary land use planning documents that determine how land is used within the community and address how and where development can occur. The policies within the MPS and regulations within the LUB address a wide array of topics, and residents and community members may wish to address some of the following questions regarding those topics:

• Housing - Is there enough housing in Mahone Bay? What types of housing should be permitted in the town? Where should housing be developed? What types of housing are needed in Mahone Bay?
• The Environment - What are ecologically sensitive and significant areas in Mahone Bay that should be protected? How should the Town protect against sea level rise?
• Land Development - Where should or shouldn't development happen? How can the Town use its services efficiently?
• Heritage Preservation and Design - How should the Town protect its heritage resources? How can the town continue to evolve
• Transportation - What modes of transportation should be prioritized in Mahone Bay?
• And Many Others - Should backyard chickens be permitted? Should short-term rentals be permitted? Is more commercial or industrial land needed?

Please share your thoughts and encourage others to do so. Go to www.planmahonebay.ca/participate to find information about the Municipal Plan Review and information on how to contribute your thoughts and opinions. 

You can also send your thoughts to info@planmahonebay.ca or 902-624-8327.

Feel free to share the pdf of the topics covered in the Plan Review and encourage others to share their thoughts as well.

The Revised 2020 List of Electors has been prepared, but you can still send us your information to make sure that your information is current on the list of voters for the 2020 election. A  notice  was send to all residents of Mahone Bay and you can still use that to send us current information for all members of your household who are eligible to vote.
Eligible voters are:
- 18 years or older on or before October 3, 2020

• - a Canadian citizen
• - ordinarily resident in Nova Scotia on or before April 2, 2020 and currently reside in the Town of Mahone Bay

If you still have not sent the form to Town staff, please do so as soon as possible by the following means:

• In person at Town Hall, 493 Main Street (by appointment due to COVID-19 precautions)
• Fax - 902-624-8069
• Email:
• Mail: PO Box 530, Mahone Bay, NS   B0J 2E0
• Mail slot next to Town Hall front door